Stencil printing mechanism



Jan. 5, 1932. w. wlLLlAMS 1,840.073

VSTENCIL PRINTING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 19, 1926 5 Sheets- Sheet 1 t I I I I I I I I I I I\ I v [/vvE/v TOK.%rren h. I/f/Zidms 1 ATTORNEYJ Jan. 5,1932. w. K. WlLLlAMS STENCIL PRINTING MECHANISM Fiied Nov. 19. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 5, 1932. w. K. WILLIAMS STENCIL PRINTING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 19, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 v I N VEN TOR. I Mme/7 ff [72/54/776 Jan. 5, 1932. W. K WILLIAMS 1,340,073

STENCIL PRINTING MECHANISM Filed Nov. .19. 1926- SSheets-Sheet 4 INVEN TOR.

Mark/7 MY/I'd/ms ATTORNE' 1 Jan. 5, 1932.

v w. K. WILLIAMS STENCIL PRINTING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 19, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet s R 0. m m N 1 A TTORNEYS Patented 5, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

WARREN K. OI CUYAEOQL FALLS, OHIO, ASSIGNOB OF TWENTY-FO UR.AND ONE-HAL]? ONE- HUNDBEDTHS TO EDWARD J. HEN'LE, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, AND FIFTY-ONE ONEHUNDREDTHS TO L. A. VAUGHN, OF CUYAHOGA FALLS, OHIO 's'rmwcn. rnmrme-ncm'mx Application filed Iovember 19, 1928. Serial No. 149,838.

This invention relating, as indicated, to

' printing mechanism, has more particular reference to printing by the use'of a stencil, the ink or the-like being applied bywiping-or scraping mechanism traversingv the stencil form; and it is among the objects of the in vention to provide sponsors or scrapers that for instance of a base portion and legs .1.

can be adjusted independently forangle and for pressure, also toprovide a stencil carriage that automatically raises and lowers in correlation with sponsor ,travel, feed actuation,

discharge,-and registering mechanism. Oth-- er objects will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly. pointed out in the claims, the

'annexed drawings and the following description setting forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constitutin however, but one of various mechanical orms in which the princi- In said annexed drawings Figs. 1 and 2 are end and sidejelevations respectively of-,a machine embodying the present invention; Fig. 3 is a plan v1ew Fig. 4 is a fragmenta sectionalview taken on the plane approximately indicated by line IV-IV, Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional viewtaken on the plane approximately indicated byline V-V, Fig. 4; 6 "and 7 are details of the sponsor. mountlng;

Fig. 8 is a detailin section taken on the lane in general at right an les to Fig. 6; ig.-9 isv an end elevation 0- a modification; and

Fig. 10 is :1 Ion 'tudinal vertical section ofthe'register-gui e. v

'The. reference character F in the drawings designates a frame, whlch may be made up Within the frame, a pair of cross heads 2 is mountedfor vertical reciprocation, upstanding arms 3 in pairssupporting thescreen car-, rying frame 4, the arms bein slidable in guide bearings 5 on the legs. a or imparting reciprocation, cams 6 on shaft 7 are arranged to co-operate with rollei's 8 on studs 9 secured to the yokes 10.0f the cross heads, the

preferably extending'sufiiciently thereabove to-slide in guide bearings 11. Connecting the arms 3 is a s rocket chain coacting with sprockets secure to the respective arms, and the arms are screw threaded where engaging the screen carrying frame 4 androtatably mounted in the cross heads 2, so that on turning the hand-wheel 13 for adjustment,

all arms move equally and the extent of throw of the stencil carrying frame 4 with respect to the table 14 can be regulated as desired.v

In this table a feed bar 81 having feed-fingers 82 and 83 is mounted for reciprocative longi- I tudinal movement, the, range of excursion being such that the table can receive a sheet of material to be printed and the finger 82 bring it under the stencil carrying frame to receive the imprint and then the finger 83 push it to discharge. Conveniently, this motion may be provided by rack andpinion set 15,16 the pinion being actuated from the shaft 7 by means of a slot-cam 17, slot-traveler 18 on lever 19, toothed segment 20 and small pinion 16. Within the stencil-carrying or screen-- 21 on the shaft 22 which carries the pinion carrying frame 4 is a stencil or screen 23, this being preferably adjustable, such as by the frame strips 24 to which the stencil or screen is secured being slidablymovable in the T section supportor outer. framing 25, adjustin hook-bolts 26 allowing of the desired taeup and release. Usually the stencil 23 will her-in the form of a more or less openineshvfabric having the ground or non-printing portions blocked out by afiller material, and thus leaving only the design area open for the passage of the ink or the like. Where applying the ink, or paint or the like, wiper or scraper mechanism is. arranged to reciprocate across the back of the-stencil or screen, the ink or the like being between the wiper knives or scrapers 27 28, and these being set down alternately as the scraper carriage 29 moves back and forth across the stencil. The wipers or scraper knives are moved in and out of operating position by a control shaft 30 which is actuated by means of an adjustable tappet 31 at each end-of the path of the carriage 29, an arm 32 being secured to the shaft to be engaged by the tappets alternately. The'extent of turning of the control shaft may be regulated by stop-screws 33 in the path of arms 34 which like arm 32 are secured to the shaft, preferably all these arms being integral in the form of a star wheel, one arm 35 of which is arranged to receive spring pressure, a stem 36 being pivoted to the arm and rojecting through a sleeve 37 screw threade ly adjustable in an oscillatory spindle -38 so as to allow regulation of the compression of a spring 39 against the arm. Secured to the control shaft is a inion 40 at one or both ends which meshes with another pinion or a rack supporting in turn the wiper or scraper knife. An ad usting stop-screw 41 may be provided near the ends to regulate the angle of inclination of the wiper or scraper, and a stem 42 may be screw threadedly mounted with a compression spring 43 to regulate the pressure of the wiper blade.

The carriage 29 may be given its traversing movement by screw feed shafts 44, preferably hollow, and driven beveled gears 45,

46 and 47, 48, a pinion 49 adjacent the latter being arranged to mesh with a rack segment 50. A connecting rod 51 and crank 52 on the shaft 53 provide actuation for the rack segment 50, a slot 54 in the rod 51 allowin a dwell at such times as the stencil and eed are in relative motion. On the shaft 53 is a gear 55 meshing with the pinion 56 on the rive shaft 7.

The table 14 is more or less hollow orchambered, if desired, and may have open ings or slits through the top and pneumatic means may be rovidedin connection therewith for retaining sheets to be printed. Conveniently this may include a pipe 61 connecting the table with a suitable source of vacuum and having a valve 62 actuated by a link 63 attached to the lever 19 so as to be moved back and forth. The a plication of the vacuum will thus be time so as to be efiective to hold the sheet while being stenciled and allow release in time forthe discharge.

ReQgstering pins 57 are arran ed within the ta 1e, or reciprocably mounte to be projected thereabove. A desirable form in cludesan adjustable mounting, as shown I threaded collar or nut 65. .A sprin more in detail in Fig. 10, the pin being mounted eccentrically in a bushing 64, which may be turned to pos tion the in as required, a spanner wrench being used or the purpose, an the bushing is then locked by means of a '66 serves to normally depress the pin an the lifter 58 effects the raising. It is desirable to interpom an adjusting screw 58. between the lifter late 58 and the head 57' of the EJ111113 57. e lifter is actuated by a cam 60.

e cam is so laid out that the registering pins 57 are projected above the table at the time the sheet is to be placed in feed position.

In the form of traverse mechanism shown in Fig. 9, the feed shafts 44 in screwthreaded relation with the carriage of the scraper or sponsor are turned through the intermediary of bevel gears .67, 68 the latter splined on shafts 69 which carry bevel gears 70 driven in turn by ears 71 on cross-shaft 72. Loosel mounte on the cross-shaft 72 is a pair 0 bevel ears 73, one at each side of and in mesh wit a bevel gear 74 fixed t0 shaft 75, which is driven from the main shaft 7 by a worm and worm-gear 76, 77. The cross-shaft 72 is rotated in first one direction and then the other by means of a small splined clutch 78 between the gears 73, being thrown into engagement with a clutch-face on'each in turn. This alternate clutching and re-clutching is provided by a clutchshift lever 79 having a fork engagng the clutch, the lever being pivoted and extending thence into engagement with a camgroove on a cam 79 carried by the shaft 7 The operation of the machine will be clear. The stencil carrying frame being reciprocated up and down by means of the cross heads and the cams 6, whilethe feed bar 81 is reciprocated in a horizontal plane bymeans of the rack and pinion mechanism 15, 16, actuated from the slot cam 17, a sheet or piece to be printed or stenciled is placed upon the 7 table in front of feed-finger 82 as it .is at the outer end of its excursion. With further turning of the shaft 7, the rack and pinion actuating cam 17 and segment 20 carry the bar 81 under the stencil frame and bring the sheet into printing position. At the same time finger 82 starts forward the fin er 83 carried by the 'ointed portion 81 of t e bar 81 is raised in rout of the sheet printed during the previous cycle. This is accomplished by the roller-pin 84 riding up on the pivoted switch or ate 85 and thence on top of the rail 86. ith the further movement of the fin zr 83 the printed sheet is discharged. A r the sheet being discharged passes from under the stencil, and before the new sheet or card in front of finger 82 reaches its proper printing position the registering pins 57 are projected upward by cam 60 so as to stop the new card in its proper place. The stencil frame is then lowered by means of the cams 6 and the cross heads to make contact of the stencil with the sheet or piece of material to be printed. The carriage carryin the wipers now makes traverse across the iack of the stencil and-the ink or paint or the like is thus wi ed .or pressed through the open ortions o the design. Durin this time the ar 81 and fingers have returne to their orig inal positions, the finger 82 clearing the frame 4 before it lowers onto the table and finger 83 returning beneath the top of the table by reason of the roller-pin 84 having run ofl below the rail 86 so as to return in the v groove 87, under it. While the carriage and wipers are making the print, the operator places a fresh card in front of finger 82 ready for the next cycle. With the further turning of the shaft 7 the stencil carr ing frame .4 is raised and the cycle re eate this time tion to set the other wiper or scraper down into relation with the stencil, and in this manner the ink or paint or the like is carried back and forth across the stencil, first by one knife and then by the other, the two thereby acting as confining and applying means for the mass of ink or paint charged. In the form of actuation shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the knife-control shaft 30 is rocked by the arm 32 striking the tappet 31 at each end of the traverse. In the form shown in Fig. 9, the projecting pin 32 engages against the cam 80, and since this is held by a support 80 fastened to the table 14, the screen-carryingframe 4 on raising carries the scraper carriage up so that the pin 32 rides up'along the cam and is crowded back untilthe spring 39 can take charge and throw the star-wheel and scrapers to the other position. It will be noticed that neither of the scrapers or knives press against the screen while it is away from the card on the table. I Whenthe carriage 29 has completed its excursion and the star wheel turns, the

arm 34 rests against the cam surface D (Fig.

6) and in this position both scrapers 27 and 28 are away from the screen 23 and at this moment the frame 4 rises and there is no pressureexerted on the screen. When the frame 4 is lowered onto the next, sheet, the carriage 29 moves back on the next excursionand arm 34 is lowered along cam surface D and the scraper comes in contact with the screen. The same result is obtained by the vertical canis (Fig. 9), the' pin projectin from the arms of the star wheei engaging t e cam surface and being guided thereby forthe dwell necessar In order to compensate for different thick- ,ne'sses of sheets or other material to be printed, the hand wheel 13 isturned as necessary and thereby through the sprocket chain connection 12, causesall of the arms 3 to equally raise or lower" the stencil carrying frame 4- and thus adjustment can be readily made as re uired.

ther modes of applying the rinci 1e of the invention-ma be employed,c ange ing made as regar s the construction herein shown, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means he em loyed.

I therefore particular y point. out and distinctly claimas my invent1on:-'- p scribe'd,the combination of a stencil carrier, and a pair of wi e'r blades both generall directed downwardly and at a slight angle to each other and adapted to alternately coop erate with said stencil carrier.

2. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a stencil carrier, a pair ofwiper blades bothenerally directed downwardly and at asligIit angle to each other, and means to traverse said blades alternately along the back of said carrier.

3. In mechanism of the character de scribed, the combination of, a stencil carrier, a pair of wiper blades both enerally directed downwardly and at a slig t angle to each other, means to alternately traverse said bladesalong the back of said carrier, and,

5. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a stencil carrier,

a pair; of wiper blades both nerally directed downwardly and at-,a slig t angle to each other, meansto tra'vgerse said blades alternately along the baclt of said carrier,'means for independently adjustin the angle. of said blades, and means for in e endently adjusting the pressure of thesald blades.

6. In mechanism of the character, de-' scribed, the combination of the stencil support, a. carriage ada ted tobe reciprocated along the back of said stencil support, s aced rock shafts in said carriage, a wiper, lade supported by each said shaft, a control shaft for moving,the blades alternately into operating positions, and means for actuating the control shaft.

7. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a stencil support,

7 a carriage adapted to be reciprocated along the back of said stencil sup rt, rock shafts in said carriage, wiper bla es supported by said shafts, a control shaft for; moving the 'blades alternatel into 0 rative position, a

star wheel on sai contro shaft and cams for alternately engaging said star wheel and turning it as t e carriageislraised.

8. In mechanism of the character de-" scribed, the combination of a stencil carrier, a downwardly directed pair of wiper blades set at an angle to eachother, adapted to alternat'ely cooperate withsaid stencil carrier, and means for holding both "blades away from the carrier.

9. In mechanism'of the character described, the combination of a stencil carrier,

a downwardly directed pair of wiper blades set at angles to each other, means to traverse said blades alternatel alon the back of said carrier, and means or hol ing both blades 5 away from the carrier at the end of each traverse. v

10. In mechanism of the' character described, the combination of a stencil carrier, a downwardly directed pair of wiper blades, means to alternatel traverse said blades along the back of sai( carrier, and cam means for holding both blades away from the carrier at the end of each traverse.

Signed by me, this 14th day of October WARREN K. WILLIAMS. 

